Lunch in London, bedtime in Switzerland, by high-speed train!

Leave London at lunchtime and be in Switzerland the same evening, without setting foot on a plane.  Take a Eurostar from London to Paris in 2h20 from £39, then a high-speed TGV-Lyria from just £21 from Paris to Geneva (3h05), Lausanne (3h39), Bern, Basel (3h03) or Zurich (4h03).  Better still, relax in first class from £60.  More civilised, more comfortable, more enjoyable and environmentally-friendly than any flight.  High-speed trains run to & from the city centres, with no baggage fees, no airport taxes, no seatbelt signs, no 2-hour check-ins, infants go free, and bring your own bottle of wine for the journey if you like (try doing that on Ryanair).  And there's great scenery on the way.  This page explains the best routes, train times, fares and how to buy tickets.

Train times, fares & how to buy tickets...

London to Basel & Zurich

London to Bern

London to Geneva

London to Lausanne, Montreux, Gstaad

London to Interlaken, Grindelwald & the Jungfrau

London to Brig, Zermatt & the Matterhorn

London to Chur, Klosters, Davos, St Moritz & the Engadin region

London to Switzerland via Brussels - slower, avoids crossing Paris

London & East Anglia to Switzerland via Harwich-Hoek ferry

Scotland & the North to Switzerland by ferry from Hull or Newcastle

The Jungfraubahn mountain railway to the Top of Europe

Swiss Passes & Swiss Transfer Tickets

Other train travel information...

Map of the Swiss rail network - download PDF

Tailor-made holidays & escorted tours to Switzerland by train

Hotels & accommodation in Switzerland

Train travel from other European cities to Switzerland

Train travel from Switzerland to other European cities

The Glacier Express scenic train from Zermatt to St Moritz

The Bernina Express scenic train from Chur to Tirano for Milan

Buying connecting train tickets from other UK towns & cities

Taking your bike   Taking your dog  

Luggage on trains   Left luggage facilities in Paris   Send luggage in advance

Passengers with disabilities   General European train travel information

Route map:  UK to Switzerland by train...

Eurostar London to Paris in 2 hours 20 min. TGV-Lyria Paris to Switzerland in 3 hours.

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

London to Basel & Zurich

It's easy and affordable to travel from London to Basel or Zurich by train.  Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in just 2 hours 20 minutes, then a direct TGV-Lyria high-speed train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Basel in 3 hours 03 minutes or Paris to Zurich in 4 hours 03 minutes.  London to Basel or Zurich starts at £62 one-way, £115 return, city centre to city centre, no baggage fees, no check-in fees, no extra to pay to travel to and from airports, a journey for chilling out not stressing out.  The TGVs from Paris to Basel & Zurich are run by Lyria, a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways.

The new Rhine-Rhone high-speed line opened on 11 December 2011, cutting journey times from Paris to Basel & Zurich by a further half an hour, and in first class a cold light meal or snack and drinks are now included in the fare.  At the same time, Paris-Basel-Zurich TGVs switched to start from the Gare de Lyon instead of the Gare de l'Est, and are now routed via Dijon and Mulhouse instead of Strasbourg and Mulhouse.

* This journey requires an overnight hotel stop in Paris, see suggested Paris hotels near the stations.  Take any Eurostar you like between London & Paris, not necessarily the one shown.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

There is a first class lounge at Zurich, open to all first class international ticket holders (but not railpass holders), upstairs on the platform 3 side of the station, follow signs to 'SBB Lounge'.

Why not catch an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the famous Train Bleu restaurant on the main concourse?  It's an experience in itself...

Click here for the alternative route via Brussels, takes significantly longer but avoids having to cross Paris.

See the Eurostar page for photos & information about Eurostar...

What's it like on a TGV Duplex from Paris to Basel or Zurich?

These impressive 200 mph (320 km/h) double-deck TGVs are being phased in on the Paris-Zurich route over 2012 & 2013, replacing single-deck Christian Lacroix TGVs.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views of the scenery.  The stairs to the top deck are short, wide and easy, and there are luggage racks and toilets both upstairs and downstairs.  You walk through the train to the cafe-bar at the upper deck level.
Boarding a double-deck TGV Duplex at Paris Gare de Lyon.  You can now easily travel from London to Zurich by Eurostar & TGV-Lyria just an afternoon & evening, relaxing with a good book and a bottle of wine.  And it isn't even expensive!  Watch the TGV Duplex video		The upstairs landing on a TGV Duplex showing the stairs down to the entrance door...

2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck.  There's a mix of unidirectional seating and some tables for four like this...	;	The cafe-bar in a TGV Duplex upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks and microwave-style hot meal dishes....

1st class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck, with some tables for two & some tables for four.		A TGV Duplex.  The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green 2nd class.

How much does it cost?

  How to buy train tickets to Switzerland if you live in the UK...

If you live in the UK, the easiest way to buy tickets for this journey is online at www.raileurope.co.uk, as you can buy your Eurostar and TGV-Lyria tickets in one place as one transaction, and it's backed by a UK call centre if you need any help or after-sales service.

	Children = children aged 4 & over, but under 12. Children under 4 go free, no ticket required. Youth = anyone under 26.  Senior = anyone over 60.

Tips for using www.raileurope.co.uk...

• www.raileurope.co.uk only accepts UK credit cards, but If you don't live in the UK simply click here.

• Reservations for Paris-Switzerland trains open 90 days before departure.  Eurostar reservations open 120 days ahead, but I strongly recommend waiting so you can book all your trains together and double-check the Paris arrival/departure times before booking a non-refundable non-changeable Eurostar ticket.  Be aware that the 90 days can be squeezed to 60 or less in the weeks immediately after the European timetable changes in mid-June & mid-December.  Hotel accommodation can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use a site such as www.booking.com with free cancellation.

• Split the booking!  By all means book from London to Switzerland all in one go if you're a nervous booker, but it's better to treat London to Switzerland as two separate journeys, one from London to Paris, the other from Paris to Basel or Zurich.  This allows you to pick an earlier Eurostar if it's cheaper or if you want to stop off in Paris, and you can mix & match 2nd class Eurostar with 1st class on the TGV-Lyria, as there are often cheap deals in TGV-Lyria 1st class, but on Eurostar the upgrade to 1st class is expensive.

• Step 1, click here to book from Paris to Basel or Zurich & back, looking for a direct TGV-Lyria train in the search results with no changes.  Always double-check the TGV-Lyria times before booking the Eurostar.

• Step 2, when you've booked from Paris to Switzerland & back, click 'continue shopping' and book a Eurostar from London to Paris & back.  Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London or a later Eurostar back from Paris if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.

• Heading for a destination deep within Switzerland?  The system will easily book tickets to Basel, Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne or Bern, and it can also book tickets involving one change of train within Switzerland, for example to Interlaken or Lucerne.  But it can struggle with places deep inside Switzerland like Grindelwald or St Moritz, as it cannot cope with more than 3 changes of train.  If you get an error message, book tickets to nearest big city and buy onward tickets at the station once you get to Switzerland.  No advance booking is needed for Swiss internal trains, you just  turn up, buy a ticket and hop on.  You can check how much Swiss train tickets cost at www.sbb.ch.

• Tickets can be printed at home in many cases, or collected at St Pancras & stations in France free of charge, or sent to a UK address for a £2.25 fee.  There's no fee for debit cards, but they charge a 2.5% credit card fee.  Tickets are sent from Rail Europe's UK office and normally arrive in a couple of days.  If you need any help, you can call Rail Europe's UK call centre on 0844 848 5 848.

• On the Rail Europe confirmation page, click 'show itinerary details' to see the seat & coach number you've been given. You can find a Lyria seat numbering plan at www.tgv-lyria.com.

• If you are starting your journey from a UK town or city outside London, you can buy a special add-on ticket to connect with Eurostar from almost any station in Britain, with better terms and conditions than buying a regular domestic UK train ticket to London, see the advice here.

  You can also buy tickets to Switzerland at www.eurostar.com...

www.eurostar.com can now sell train tickets from London or over 130 UK towns & cities to these stations in Switzerland:  Aigle, Basel, Berne, Brig, Chur, Geneva, Landquart, Lausanne, Leuk, Martigny, Montreux, Neuchatel, Sargans, Sierre, Sion, Vallorbe, Visp or Zurich.  Special though fares from London to Switzerland start at £99 return.

• Plus points:  If the cheapest prices are available (but note the 'if'), the special through fares sold by www.eurostar.com can be the cheapest way to reach Switzerland by train.  Unlike www.raileurope.co.uk, it allows you to book through tickets from 130 towns & cities all over the UK, not just from London or Ebbsfleet or Ashford.  www.eurostar.com accepts all credit cards, not just UK ones, & allows tickets to be collected on departure in London, so it's good if you live outside the UK.  It also allows you to choose a specific Eurostar seat. 

• Limitations:  www.eurostar.com can only sell these special through fares with no stopovers.  www.raileurope.co.uk can be cheaper, as it is capable of combining cheap London-Paris fares with cheap Paris-Switzerland fares.  This often works out better value, as large numbers of cheap tickets are loaded into the system for these two busy sectors whereas the number of cheap London-Switzerland through tickets loaded into the system seems to be relatively small.  By booking London-Paris & Paris-Switzerland separately, www.raileurope.co.uk can also be used to arrange stopovers in Paris.  Top tip:  Try both www.eurostar.com & www.raileurope.co.uk!

  How to buy tickets by phone or in person...

You can buy tickets from any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, closed Sundays, £8 phone booking fee) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (office hours Monday-Friday, 8% booking fee applies).  Rail Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, open 10:00-18:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Saturdays.  For more information on how to buy European train tickets, see the How to buy European train tickets page.

  Tailor-made train travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday or tour for you.  In the UK, contact www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761.  For example, 6 nights deluxe trip from London to Lausanne, then Zermatt, a trip on the famous Glacier Express to St Moritz, then back to London, costs around £1,219 per person, or there are cheaper 4-night trips which also include the Glacier Express from around £589 per person.  They get very positive reviews.  Browse suggested itineraries & prices.

  How to buy tickets online at www.loco2.com (anyone from any country)

www.loco2.com is a new company, aiming to make train booking easier.  Booking usually opens 92 days ahead.  They connect to the same data as raileurope.co.uk, so offer the correct European prices give or take the rate used to convert € into £, and there are no booking fees if you use a debit card.   But they accept credit & debit cards from any country so can be used wherever you live, as long as you get a print-at-home or collect-at-station delivery option, which you usually will do for journeys in either direction between London and the major cities in Switzerland served directly by TGV-Lyria.  So anyone from any country can use www.loco2.com to buy train tickets between London and Geneva, Lausanne, Basel & Zurich, inbound or outbound, one-way or return, just check that you get the print-at-home delivery option.  If you are travelling beyond these cities to or from other Swiss destinations, for example Zermatt, Lucerne, Montreux or St Moritz, this involves a domestic Swiss ticket so you will not see the print-at-home option.  If you live in the UK, tickets can be sent by post, so no problem, but if you live anywhere else, simply identify the interchange point within Switzerland, use www.loco2.com to buy the Eurostar & Lyria tickets between London and that interchange point, and add a domestic Swiss ticket between that point and your final destination either bought locally at the station or bought online at the Swiss railways website www.sbb.ch.

  How to buy tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.sbb.ch (anyone from any country)

Anyone from any country worldwide can buy tickets direct from the relevant train operator websites like this.  This is the absolute cheapest way to book, though it means booking in two stages:

• Paris-Switzerland trains open for booking 92 days before departure.  Eurostar bookings open 120 days ahead, but I strongly recommend waiting and buying all your tickets at the same time.  I suggest doing a dry run on each website before booking for real, to double-check prices, availability and exact timings for each part of the journey.  Hotel accommodation can be booked before booking your trains risk-free, if you use a site such as www.booking.com with free cancellation.

• If you live in the UK, it can be better to buy all your tickets from www.raileurope.co.uk as shown above, buying all your tickets together in one place without relying on post from France, and it's backed by a UK call centre.  On the other hand, there are no credit card or postage fees at www.voyages-sncf.com and prices are in euros so it's a fraction cheaper because you'll get a better exchange rate from your own bank.  It also allows you to request specific seating options such as an upper or lower deck seat on a TGV Duplex, or a table for two in 1st class, which Rail Europe currently doesn't.  But it's your call!

• Step 1:  Book the TGV from Paris to Switzerland at the official French Railways website www.voyages-sncf.com.  Tickets can be collected at the station in Paris, or for some fare types you can print out your own ticket.

• www.voyages-sncf.com will easily book the direct TGVs from Paris to Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Zurich or Bern, and it will also book tickets to many destinations involving one change of train in Switzerland, such as Interlaken or Brig.  But it can struggle with destinations requiring more changes, for example Grindelwald, Zermatt or St Moritz.  If you have any difficulty booking to your final Swiss destination, simply book the direct TGV from Paris to Lausanne, Bern, Basel or Zurich, then buy onward domestic Swiss tickets separately either online at www.sbb.ch or at the station when you get to Switzerland.  This is easy, because no advance booking is necessary for Swiss domestic trains, you can turn up, buy a ticket and hop on.

• Alternatively, you can book from Paris to anywhere in Switzerland using the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch, as long as you're offered the option to self-print tickets when the delivery options come up.  This option will appear for cheap train-specific fares, but not for flexible fares.  Prices are the same as on voyages-sncf.com.  For one-way or return journeys to Paris starting at the Switzerland end, www.sbb.ch is the best site to use, as tickets of all types can be collected at any main Swiss station.

• Step 2:  Book a connecting Eurostar from London to Paris.  Go to www.eurostar.com and book a suitable Eurostar from London to Paris and back.  Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London or a later Eurostar back from Paris if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.  If your journey starts outside London, www.eurostar.com can also sell tickets to Paris from 130 UK towns & cities.  You can print out your own ticket, or collect it at the station at London St Pancras.  Easy!

  How to buy tickets if you live in the USA...

• First the good news:  If you live in the USA or Canada, you can buy tickets for both Eurostar and the Paris-Switzerland TGV Lyria at www.raileurope.com (USA) or www.raileurope.ca (Canada).  This is Rail Europe Inc, a US-based subsidiary of French Railways, not to be confused with Rail Europe 4A, which is a separate subsidiary selling to Australia, Africa, Asia and South America based in Paris, or Rail Europe Ltd which is another subsidiary based in the UK.

• But a word of warning.  www.raileurope.com & www.raileurope.ca have been known to suppress the cheapest fares for the US market.  That means you may find your train ticket cheaper on European-based websites.  I recommend checking the following websites:

• www.loco2.com can sell tickets between London & Geneva/Bern/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich in either direction, painlessly as one transaction at the correct European prices, give or take the rate they use to convert fares in € into £.  They accept credit cards from the USA and Canada although they are UK-based, and if you use a debit card there are no booking fees.  Just check that you get the print-at-home delivery option, which you usually do for journeys solely involving Eurostar and Lyria with no domestic Swiss element, as tickets cannot be mailed overseas.  If you're travelling to or from smaller places within Switzerland (for example, Zermatt, Lucerne, St Moritz) you should split the journey and book the Eurostar+Lyria part at www.loco2.com (as you'll then get a print-at-home option) and buy a separate ticket for the domestic Swiss journey, either at the station when you're there (as no reservation is required for Swiss trains) or online at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.

• Alternatively, the absolute cheapest way to book is direct with the relevant train operators, though this means splitting the journey and booking in two stages.  First use www.voyages-sncf.com to book from Paris to Switzerland or the Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch to book from anywhere in Switzerland to Paris.  Then use www.eurostar.com to book the London-Paris Eurostar, allowing at least 60 minutes southbound or 90 minutes northbound to change trains & stations in Paris.  You can easily use www.voyages-sncf.com by selecting 'Antarctic' as your country of residence and making sure you are offered print-at-home or ticket collection at station option.  In fact, I'm currently seeing similar prices on raileurope.com as voyages-sncf.com for the Paris-Switzerland TGVs, but even so, you might want to do a price comparison!

• Tailor-made tours by train:  Alternatively, a hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

  In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see website.

     In Australia, NZ, Canada, Asia, Africa, South America:  www.raileurope-world.com.

• If you live in Australia or NZ, Asia or Africa, you can buy tickets for Eurostar, the Paris-Zurich TGV Lyria and the Zurich-Milan train online at www.raileurope-world.com.  They sell print-at-home tickets in many cases or they will send tickets to any country worldwide except the USA for a small fee.

• Prices at www.raileurope-world.com are now the same as on voyages-sncf.com, at least according to every recent test booking I've done, give or take a small fee, so it's fine to buy here, avoiding the need to overcome any redirection or payment problems you might have at voyages-sncf.com.  You're buying from Rail Europe 4A, the 4A stands for Australia, Africa, Asia and South America, it's a subsidiary of French Railways based in Paris with offices in Australia, India, Singapore and a few other countries.  They should not be confused with Rail Europe Inc based in the USA, which is a different company (although still a French Railways subsidiary) with different policies.

• Alternatively, www.loco2.com can sell tickets between London & Geneva/Bern/Lausanne/Basel/Zurich in either direction painlessly as one transaction at the correct European prices, give or take the rate they use to convert fares in € into £.  They accept credit cards from any country, although they are UK-based.  Just check that you get the print-at-home delivery option, which you usually do for journeys solely involving Eurostar and Lyria with no domestic Swiss element, as tickets cannot be mailed overseas.  If you're travelling to or from smaller places within Switzerland (for example, Zermatt, Lucerne, St Moritz) you should split the journey and book the Eurostar+Lyria part at www.loco2.com (as you'll then get a print-at-home option) and buy a separate ticket for the domestic Swiss journey, either at the station when you're there (as no reservation is required for Swiss trains) or online at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.

• Finally, the absolute cheapest way to book is direct with the relevant train operators, though this means splitting the journey and booking in two stages.  First use www.voyages-sncf.com to book from Paris to Switzerland or the Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch to book from anywhere in Switzerland to Paris.  Then use www.eurostar.com to book a London-Paris Eurostar connection, allowing at least 60 minutes southbound or 90 minutes northbound to change trains & stations in Paris.

• Tailor-made tours by train:  Alternatively, a hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you. 

  In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

  In New Zealand call toll-free 0800 002 034 or see website. 

  In Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see website.

Taking the train is the stress-free and environmentally-sound way to go from London to Bern.  Eurostar links London and Paris in just 2 hours 40 minutes, from £69 return.  High speed TGV-Lyria trains link Paris with Bern in just 4 hours 45 minutes, some direct, some with a change of train at Lausanne, with fares from £23 each way (from £68 in 1st class!).  TGVs have 1st & 2nd class, with a buffet-bar car selling drinks and snacks.  There are power points for mobiles & laptops at 1st class seats.  You can find a seat numbering plan & other useful information at www.tgv-lyria.com.  First class fares include a complimentary cold breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack according to time of day.  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways.  What's it like on a TGV-Lyria train?

How to read these timetables  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

Direct = by direct Lyria TGV from Paris to Bern.  This is the recommended option, as it's cheapest & simplest.

Change = by Lyria TGV between Paris & Lausanne, and by Swiss InterCity train between Lausanne & Bern.

* This journey requires an overnight hotel stop in Paris.  Suggested hotels near the station in Paris.  Take any Eurostar you like, times shown may vary.

Why not catch an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the famous Train Bleu restaurant on the main concourse?  It's an experience in itself...

Eurostar times may vary slightly, so always double-check when booking.

How much does it cost?

Taking the train is the scenic, stress-free and environmentally-sound way from London to Geneva.  Eurostar links London and Paris in just 2 hours 20 minutes from £69 return.  High speed TGV Lyria trains then link Paris with Geneva in just over 3 hours from £23 each way in 2nd class or £62 in 1st class.  For the first part of their journey, the Paris-Geneva TGVs use the TGV-SudEst high speed line at up to 186 mph.  Then they slow right down over conventional lines through beautiful French mountain scenery for the remainder of their run to Switzerland, past pretty French villages, mountain forests, dramatic viaducts and scenic lakes, see photos of the journey below.  Sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the scenic stress-free alternative to flying to Geneva.

What's it like on board a single-deck TGV-Lyria?

Some Paris-Geneva TGVs are double-deck TGV Duplex as shown above, others are single-deck TGVs as shown below.  Single-deck TGV-Lyrias like these also operate the Paris-Bern & Paris-Lausanne routes.  The single-deck TGV-Lyrias feature interiors styled by designer Christian Lacroix, with 1st and 2nd class seats and a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks.  First class fares include a complimentary cold breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack according to time of day.  There are power points for mobiles & laptops at all seats.  Incidentally, SNCF's in-house designer has never forgiven Christian Lacroix for breaking the unwritten 'rule' and using warm funky oranges and purples in 2nd class, cooler greys and lime green in 1st class, but see what you think!  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways, see the TGV-Lyria page for more information.

A TGV in new Lyria colours at the Gare de Lyon.		2nd class seats...  See panorama photo.

Cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & hot dishes...		1st class seats...  See panorama photo.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets online...

• The best and cheapest way to buy tickets from London or Paris to Bern is online, follow the instructions above.

• For journeys involving a change in Lausanne, if no cheap fares show up for the Paris-Bern journey, trying asking the system for Paris-Lausanne, then buy a Lausanne-Bern ticket separately at the ticket office on arrival at Lausanne.  You can check Lausanne-Bern prices online at www.sbb.ch.  No reservation is necessary (or even possible!) for the domestic Swiss Lausanne-Bern section, so it's easy to buy this at the station in Lausanne.

How to buy tickets by phone...

You can buy tickets from any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, £8 phone booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (8% booking fee applies, office hours Monday-Friday).  Rail Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, open 10:00-18:00 Monday-Friday, 10:00-17:00 Saturdays.  For more information about how to buy European train tickets, see the How to buy train tickets to Europe page.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made trip with all your rail travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, UK residents can call www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you, hassle-free.  They get very positive reviews and take good care of their guests.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.

How to buy tickets if you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, etc.

• You can buy tickets for both Eurostar and the Paris-Switzerland trains online at www.raileurope.com (if you live in the USA or Canada) or www.raileurope-world.com (if you live in Australia, NZ, Asia, Africa, South America), both subsidiaries of French Railways.  Be aware that the fares charged may be slightly higher than those charged in Europe.  Tickets can be sent to any address in the USA, Canada, Australia, or worldwide.  Find agencies in other countries...

• Alternatively, to buy tickets at European prices, buy a London-Paris Eurostar ticket online at www.eurostar.com, selecting the option to print out your own ticket or collect tickets at the station.  Then book the Paris-Switzerland train online at www.voyages-sncf.com (if you're from the USA, see this advice before using it).  You can then collect your tickets on the day of travel at the ticket office at any main station in France, including Paris Gare de Lyon.

A journey from Geneva to London by Lyria TGV & Eurostar...

In 2010 they shaved another 15-20 minutes off the Paris-Geneva journey time by rebuilding the amazing 65km single-track Haut-Bugey line from Bourg en Bresse to Bellegarde.  This section of line dates from 1877-1882, but local traffic had declined and the line was partially closed in 1990.  However, a joint French-Swiss project gave it a new lease of life, rebuilt to mainline standards and reborn as a key link in the TGV network.  It shortens the distance between Paris & Geneva by 47km, trains previously had to detour south via Culoz.  The wonderful Haut-Bugey line takes Paris-Geneva TGVs at low speed through some great mountainous terrain, some of it inaccessible by road, through some 11 tunnels and over 80 bridges & viaducts including the spectacular Cize-Bolozon Viaduct, a structure partly blown up by the French resistance in 1944 (it took 5 years to repair the damage after the war).  Relax and enjoy the journey!

An afternoon TGV from Geneva to Paris, boarding at Geneva.  You'll be back in London by evening, no airports, no flights, no hassle.  Relax!		Scenery on the Haut Bugey line, soon after leaving Geneva.  Look closely and you can see the back of the train as it snakes along the valley...

More scenery, as the TGV from Geneva to Paris heads through the hills along the river valley from Geneva to Bellegarde and Bourg en Bresse.		The TGV from Geneva to Paris passes a lake, probably the Lac de Nantua...  This was an overcast February day, it will be spectacular in summer or Autumn...

The TGV crosses the spectacular Cize-Bolozon viaduct, one of the major engineering feat on the Haut-Bugey line.  At Macon, the train will join the high-speed line to Paris.		In 1st class, the fare now includes food served at your seat.  This is their afternoon snack.  Lunch or dinner with wine are served on lunchtime or evening departures.

Taking the train is a wonderful, stress-free and environmentally-friendly way to get from London to Lausanne or anywhere in Western Switzerland.  Take Eurostar from London to Paris in just 2 hours 20 minutes from £69 return, then a high-speed TGV-Lyria train from Paris to Lausanne in only 3 hours 50 minutes, from £23 each way (£68 in 1st class!).  Remember, that's city centre to city centre, not airport to airport.  The TGV-Lyria travels at up to 186mph along the TGV-Sud-Est high-speed line, then branches off at lower speed through pretty hills around Dijon and across rural France into Switzerland.  Frequent Swiss trains, running like clockwork, link Lausanne with Vevey, Montreux, Aigle, Martigny, & Sion.  Change at Montreux for the scenic Golden Pass route to Gstaad.  Take a bottle of wine onto the TGV with you, put your feet up and enjoy the ride.  On TGV-Lyria, first class fares include a complimentary cold breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack according to time of day.  What's it like on a TGV-Lyria train?

How to read these timetables  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

* This journey involves an overnight stop in Paris, a useful option for a weekend in Switzerland without flying.  Suggested hotels near the station in Paris.  The Eurostar shown is just a suggestion.

**On Fridays from 14 December 2012 to 22 March 2013, there's no need to change at Lausanne because the 15:58 TGV-Lyria from Paris runs direct to Montreux, arriving 20:13.

***On Saturdays from 15 December 2012 to 23 March 2013, there's no need to change at Lausanne as the 12:24 TGV-Lyria from Lausanne runs direct from Montreux, departing 11:48.

If you've time to spare at the Gare de Lyon for a meal or drink, try the famous Train Bleu restaurant on the main concourse.

Times may vary slightly, so always check exact times when booking.

Connections to Vevey, Montreux, Sion, Martigny, Gstaad...

Lausanne is the ideal entry point for western Switzerland.  Frequent (at least half-hourly) trains link Lausanne with Vevey, Montreux (19 minutes), Sion, & Martigny.  Change at Montreux for the amazingly scenic narrow-gauge Golden Pass route to Gstaad & Zweisimmen.  The Golden Pass route from Montreux to Gstaad climbs spectacularly up the mountain out of Montreux, passing over the top to the valley behind.  You can check train times and fares from Lausanne to anywhere in Switzerland at www.sbb.ch.

Pictured right:  Taking the train from London to Gstaad.  It's a very scenic train ride from Montreux to Gstaad, and some departures use panoramic coaches like these.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets online...

• The best and cheapest way to buy tickets from London or Paris to Lausanne is online, just follow the instructions above.

• The best way to buy onward tickets from Lausanne to Montreux or Gstaad is at the station when you reach Lausanne, or for journeys further into Switzerland, buy a Swiss Transfer Ticket before you leave home.

How to buy tickets by phone or in person...

You can buy tickets from any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, £8 booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (office hours Mon-Fri, 8% booking fee applies).  Rail Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, open 10:00-18:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Saturdays.  For more information about how to buy European train tickets, see the How to buy train tickets to Europe page.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made travel service with all your rail travel booked for you and hotels arranged, contact www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get very positive reviews.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.

Just arrived from London by train...  The local train to Grindelwald has reached the buffer stops at the end of the line from London St Pancras, no flying necessary.

It's so easy to travel by train from the UK to Interlaken and the Jungfrau region.  Take Eurostar to Paris in only 2 hours 20 minutes, then a 186 mph TGV-Lyria from Paris to Basel in just 3 hours.  Regular Swiss InterCity trains go from Basel through the mountain and along the lake shore to Interlaken Ost in 1 hour 58 minutes.  No airports, no flights, a chance to chill out by train not stress out by plane.  TGV-Lyria trains have 1st & 2nd class with a cafe-bar car selling drinks and snacks, and you'll find power points for mobiles & laptops at all 1st class seats.  Take a bottle of wine with you, put your feet up and enjoy the ride!  First class fares now include a complimentary cold breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack according to time of day.  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways.

Interlaken lies at the centre of the Jungfrau region, with narrow gauge local trains up into the mountains to skiing resorts such as Grindelwald nestling at the foot of the Eiger, and Lauterbrunnen, at the foot of the Jungfrau.  The famous Jungfraubahn rack railway climbs the Jungfrau to the Top of Europe from both Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.

Option 1, new direct TGV from Paris to Interlaken!

London ► Interlaken

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 13:31 (12:25 Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 16:47 (15:47 Saturdays).  Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon, 2 stops on RER line D.

• Travel from Paris to Interlaken by direct TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon daily at 17:57 and arriving Interlaken Ost at 23:43.  This TGV-Lyria has 1st & 2nd class and cafe-bar.  1st class fares include food & wine served at your seat.  What's it like on a TGV-Lyria train?

Interlaken ► London

• In this direction, the TGV only runs on Saturdays & Sundays, as on weekdays Lyria have not been able to secure the necessary train paths for it on the busy Swiss rail network, so if you need to travel on Mondays-Fridays use one of the regular trains, changing at Basel, as shown in the 'by regular trains' section below. 

• Travel from Interlaken to Paris by direct TGV-Lyria, leaving Interlaken Ost on Saturdays & Sundays at 06:09 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 12:11.  This TGV-Lyria has 1st & 2nd class and cafe-bar.  1st class fares include food & wine served at your seat.  Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare du Nord, 2 stops on RER line D.  What's it like on a TGV-Lyria train?

• Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:13 arriving London St Pancras at 16:39.

Fares & how to buy tickets...   London to Interlaken from £62 one-way, £115 return!

• London to Paris starts at £39 one-way or £69 return.  Book this part of the journey at either www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents) or www.eurostar.com (anyone) with print-at-home tickets.

• Paris to Interlaken on the direct TGV starts at just €25 (£23) each way in 2nd class, €84 in 1st class.  Book this train at www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents) or www.voyages-sncf.com (anyone).

Option 2, by regular trains...

How to read these timetables  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

* This journey requires an overnight hotel stop in Paris.  Suggested hotels near the station in Paris.  Eurostar times may vary, just book whichever Eurostar you like.

Lauterbrunnen & the Jungfraujoch:  Half-hourly local trains link Interlaken Ost with Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen.  You can check times and fares using the journey planner at www.sbb.ch.   By train up the Jungfrau.

If you've time to spare at the Gare de Lyon for a meal or drink, try the famous Train Bleu restaurant on the main concourse.

Train times may vary slightly, so always double-check for your own date of travel when booking.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets online...

• The best & cheapest way to buy tickets from London to Basel is online, just follow the instructions above.

• The best way to buy onward tickets from Basel is either at the station when you reach Switzerland or online at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.  No reservation is necessary for Swiss domestic trains, you just buy a ticket and hop on.  A Swiss Transfer ticket is the cheapest option for a Basel to Grindelwald round trip, you need to buy this before leaving the UK:  Buy a Swiss Transfer Ticket online.

How to buy tickets by phone or in person...

You can buy tickets from any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, £8 booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (office hours Monday-Friday, 8% booking fee applies).  Rail Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, open 10:00-18:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Saturdays.  For more information about how to buy European train tickets, see the How to buy train tickets to Europe page.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made trip with all your rail travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, UK residents can call www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you, hassle-free.  They get very positive reviews and take good care of their guests.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.

The Jungfrau Bahn:  11,333 feet above sea level, by train...

If you're staying in the Interlaken area, why not climb the North Face of the Eiger, traverse the Mönch and scale the Jungfrau to an altitude of over 11,000 feet?  By train, of course, on the famous Jungfraubahn!  Regular narrow-gauge trains link Interlaken Ost (567m or 1,860 feet above sea level) with the ski resorts of Lauterbrunnen & Grindelwald (1,034m or 3,393 feet).  Even smaller trains connect and climb from Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen up to the interchange point for the Jungfraubahn at Kleine Scheidegg, 2,061m (6,762 feet) above sea level.  Completed in 1912, the Jungfraubahn rack railway climbs up the North Face of the Eiger, at first in the open air and then in a long tunnel inside the mountain.  The train stops at Eigerwand (2,865m or 9,400 feet) inside the Eiger's infamous North Face for 5 minutes, allowing you to get out and see the view from the tunnel's viewing window.  Rescue missions for climbers caught on the Eiger start from here.  The train continues up inside the Eiger and Mönch mountains, with another 5 minute stop at the Eismeer ('Ice Sea') viewing point until it reaches Jungfraujoch, 11,333 feet (3,454 metres) above sea level, the highest railway station in Europe and billed as 'The Top of Europe'.  The  Jungfraujoch complex nestles below the Jungfrau's summit.  At Jungfraujoch you'll find restaurants, coffee shop, Europe's highest post office, souvenir shops, the 'sphinx' observatory & observation deck, and 'ice palace' and an open air 'ice plateau'.

Jungfraubahn:  Starting the climb from the interchange station at Kleine Scheidegg.  The first section is in the open, the train then enters a tunnel inside the Eiger's North Face for the rest of the climb.

At Jungfraujoch station:  After crossing the Mönch onto the Jungfrau, the train arrives at the underground Jungfraujoch station inside the mountain, the 'Top of Europe'.

The view from the Sphinx observation deck at Jungfraujoch.  This is the view towards Interlaken, with Kleine Scheidegg in the valley in the foreground.

A trip on the Jungfraubahn doesn't come cheap:  CHF 177 (£120) return per adult from Grindelwald or CHF 197 (£133) from Interlaken.  There's more information at the Jungfraubahn website, www.jungfraubahn.ch, including timetable, fares, webcams and weather reports.

UK residents can order tickets for a trip to Jungfraujoch at www.swisspasses.com/excursions/packages/jungfraujochint (starting in Interlaken) or  www.swisspasses.com/excursions/packages/jungfraujoch starting in Wengen.

London-Zermatt by train:  On a clear day, Zermatt has excellent views of the Matterhorn, towering above the town.

Zermatt lies nestled at the foot of the imposing Matterhorn, surrounded by mountains.  It's a car-free resort, which can only be reached by train.  Electric 'johnny cabs' shuttle hotel guests to hotels and act as taxis.  Here is the daily all-year-round train service, but every winter Saturday for the 2012/3 ski season there's a new combined Eurostar+TGV-Lyria service with one easy change at Lille, see here for details.

How to read these timetables  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

* This journey requires an overnight hotel stop in Paris.  Suggested hotels near the station in Paris.  Take any Eurostar you like between London & Paris, times shown may vary.

** On Fridays from 16 December 2011 to 30 March 2012, there's no need to change at Lausanne because the 15:57 TGV-Lyria from Paris runs direct to Visp (arrive 21:33) & Brig (arrive 21:43).

*** On Saturdays from 17 December 2011 to 31 March 2012, the 12:22 TGV-Lyria from Lausanne starts from Brig (leaving 10:09) & Visp (leaving 10:18), so no need to change at Lausanne.

Train times may vary slightly, so always double-check times for your date of travel when booking.

The branch line to Zermatt:  For the best views of the scenery between Visp and Zermatt, make sure you have a seat on the left-hand side of the train leaving Visp.  This narrow gauge train ascends the Mattertal Valley via a series of 'steps'.  The train uses conventional adhesion along the level sections, then rack-and-pinion to climb a series of steep sections.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets online...

• The best & cheapest way to buy tickets from London or Paris to Lausanne (or, on the days when the TGVs run direct, Visp or Brig) is online, just follow the instructions above.

• The best way to buy onward tickets from Lausanne is either at the station when you reach Switzerland or online at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.  However, a Swiss Transfer Ticket is the best option from Lausanne to Brig or Zermatt, so buy a Swiss Transfer Ticket online before you go.

How to buy tickets by phone or in person...

You can buy tickets from any UK European rail booking agency, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, £8 booking fee applies) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (office hours Monday-Friday, 8% booking fee applies).  Rail Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU, open 10:00-18:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Saturdays.  For more information about how to buy European train tickets, see the How to buy train tickets to Europe page.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made trip with all your rail travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, UK residents can call www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you, hassle-free.  They get very positive reviews and take good care of their guests.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.

New direct Eurostar + Lyria TGV service, every winter Saturday from £189 return!

TGV-Lyria, the consortium of French and Swiss railways running Paris to Switzerland TGVs, are introducing a weekly direct train from Lille every Saturday this winter, with Eurostar connections from London. Now you can reach Zermatt without crossing Paris, on one easy train service.

Fares & how to buy tickets:  Book at either www.eurostar.com or www.raileurope.co.uk.  Fares from £189 return 2nd class, or £299 return 1st class including at-seat food and drink.

Skis & snowboards go free:  Eurostar & Lyria won't charge for an extra item of luggage, for example a pair of skis or a snowboard.  And no baggage weight limits!

The Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl (formerly the Muottas Muragl Berghotel):  A wonderful place to stay near St Moritz, reached by local train to Punt Muragl then funicular railway up the mountain to the hotel, perched at 2,456 metres overlooking the Engadin Valley...  Muottas Muragl website.

The area around St Moritz, Davos and Klosters has attracted visitors from the UK both for winter sports and summer holidays for over a century.  The journey by narrow-gauge train from Chur to St Moritz is one of the most scenic train rides in Switzerland, or indeed the world.  The convenient direct sleeper train from Paris to Landquart & Chur was sadly withdrawn with the opening of the TGV-Est high-speed line in June 2007, so here's how to get there overland using the new high-speed TGV trains.

Train times London ► Chur, Davos, Klosters, St Moritz

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London daily at 09:17 Mondays-Fridays, 09:31 Saturdays or 09:22 Sundays, arriving at Paris Gare du Nord at 12:47.  Cross Paris by metro to the Gare de Lyon, it's just 2 stops on RER line D.

• Travel from Paris to Zurich by 198 mph TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:23 and arriving in Zurich at 18:35.  A cafe-bar is available.

• For St Moritz, leave Zurich at 19:37 by InterCity train, changing at Chur onto the narrow-gauge Rhätische Bahn, arriving St Moritz at 22:58.  The Chur-St Moritz journey is amazingly scenic especially in winter.

• For Klosters or Davos, leave Zurich at 19:37 by InterCity train, change onto the narrow-gauge Rhätische Bahn at Landquart, arriving Klosters at 21:28 and Davos Platz at 21:57.

• You can of course use any of the London-Zurich options shown in the London to Zurich section above, then use www.sbb.ch to find connections to St Moritz.

Train times St Moritz, Klosters, Davos, Chur ► London

• Travel from St Moritz to Zurich by train, leaving St Moritz at 09:02 by narrow gauge Rhätische Bahn train, with a simple interchange at Chur onto the standard gauge Swiss Federal Railways InterCity train to Zurich, arriving 12:23.

• Coming from Davos or Klosters, leave Davos Platz at 10:02 or Klosters at 10:32, changing from the narrow gauge Rhätische Bahn to the Swiss Federal Railways InterCity train at Landquart, arriving Zurich 12:23.

• Travel from Zurich to Paris by 200 mph Lyria TGV, leaving Zurich at 13:34 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 17:37.  A cafe-bar is available.  Cross Paris by metro to the Gare du Nord.

• Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, departing Paris Gare du Nord at 19:13 arriving London St Pancras at 20:41.

• You can of course use any of the Zurich-London options shown in the London to Zurich section above, then use www.sbb.ch to find connections from St Moritz to Zurich. 

• For example, you can also leave St Moritz at 11:02, Davos at 12:02 or Klosters at 12:32, arriving Zurich 14:23.  Depart Zurich by Lyria TGV at 15:27, change in Paris, arriving London 22:36.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £39 one-way or £69 return. 

• Paris to Zurich by Lyria TGV starts at £21 each way, but as you'll see in a minute, you only need to book a ticket from Paris to Basel.  See the London to Basel & Zurich section for full details of London-Basel & London-Zurich fares.

• From Zurich to St Moritz, a Swiss Transfer Ticket is cheaper than buying normal tickets.  It costs CHF 135 (£92) 2nd class, CHF 216 (£146) 1st class and allows one return journey from your point of entry to any destination in Switzerland.  Just for the record, the normal point-to-point fare from Zurich to St Moritz is CHF 73 (£49) one-way, CHF 146 (£99) return in 2nd class, the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch will confirm current fares.  Buying a Swiss Transfer Ticket can save money on the Paris-Zurich journey too.  Read on...

• Money-saving tip:  You can of course buy a TGV-Lyria ticket from Paris to Zurich and use your Swiss Transfer Ticket for the journey from Zurich to St Moritz, Davos or Klosters.  But the Swiss Transfer Ticket is valid from your point of entry into Switzerland, in this case Basel, so it also covers the Basel-Zurich part of the TGV journey.  So don't book the TGV from Paris to Zurich, you only need to book it from Paris to Basel, then you simply remain in your seat for the rest of the journey to Zurich.  No seat reservations are required for TGV-Lyria journeys wholly within Switzerland.

How to buy tickets online...

The best and cheapest way to buy tickets is online. 

• Buy your London-Basel tickets at either www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents) or www.voyages-sncf.com, following the advice in the London to Zurich section.

• Buy your Swiss Transfer Ticket online from the Swiss Travel Centre.

How to buy tickets by phone...

Call Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, closed Sundays, £8 booking fee) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 (office hours Monday-Friday, 8% booking fee).  For more information about booking European trains, see the How to buy train tickets to Europe page.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made trip with all your rail travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, UK residents can call www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you, hassle-free.  They get very positive reviews and take good care of their guests.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.

London to Switzerland via Brussels

London-Brussels-Cologne-Basel:  A longer journey, but avoids crossing Paris...

This route takes significantly longer than going via Paris as shown above, but it has two key advantages.  First and foremost, it avoids having to change trains and stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  On this route, the changes of train in Brussels and Cologne are both straightforward same-station changes taking only take a couple of minutes getting off one train and onto another.  This may be important to you if you have lots of luggage, kids, or a mobility issue.

...and in theory the cheapest way to Switzerland:  London to Basel from €59!

Secondly, if you book well in advance it's possible to find cheap fares from London to Basel Bad Bahnhof from just €59, making this route the cheapest way to Switzerland, if you're lucky enough to find the cheapest €59 price available (if not, the Paris route may be cheaper).  That's because German Railways (DB) offer London Spezial fares from London to anywhere in Germany starting from €59 each way 2nd class, €109 1st class, and you can buy these to Basel Bad Bahnhof (but NOT to Basel's main SBB station) because DB classes Basel Bad Bf as part of its own German network even though it's across the border in Switzerland, just one stop before Basel SBB.  You simply print out your own ticket.  You can then buy a separate onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Basel SBB or to Zurich and most other Swiss cities.  Incidentally, there are in fact two direct trains a day from Brussels to Basel via Luxembourg & Strasbourg, but with no cheap fares, no catering and low speeds I won't bother with those here.

London ► Basel from €59

• Option 1, London depart 06:50 on Mondays-Fridays, arriving Basel Bad Bahnhof 16:36, Basel SBB 16:47:  Leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 06:50 on Mondays-Fridays arriving Brussels 10:07, a quick change onto the 10:25 high-speed ICE from Brussels to Cologne, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE to Basel Bad Bahnhof arriving 16:36 and Basel SBB 16:47.  Click this special link to www.bahn.de and enter your date of travel to buy tickets from London to Basel Bad Bf on this service from €59.  To buy an onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Basel SBB on the same train for just over €4, click here.  To buy an onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Zurich, click here.

• Option 2, London depart 08:58 on Sundays arriving arriving Basel Bad Bahnhof 20:36 or Basel SBB 20:47:  Leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 08:58 on Sundays, change at Brussels onto the 14:25 high-speed ICE to Cologne, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE to Basel Bad Bahnhof arriving 20:36 and Basel SBB 20:47.  Click this special link to www.bahn.de and enter your date of travel to buy tickets from London to Basel Bad Bf on this service from €59.  To buy an onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Basel SBB on the same train for just over €4, click here.  To buy an onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Zurich, click here.

• Option 3:  London depart 10:58 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving arriving Basel Bad Bahnhof 20:36 or Basel SBB 20:47:  Leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 10:58 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving Brussels at 14:05, a quick change onto the 14:25 high-speed ICE from Brussels to Cologne, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE to Basel Bad Bahnhof arriving 20:36 and Basel SBB 20:47.  Click this special link to www.bahn.de and enter your date of travel to buy tickets from London to Basel Bad Bf on this service from €59.  To buy an onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Basel SBB on the same train for around €4, click here.  To buy an onward ticket from Basel Bad Bf to Zurich, click here.

Basel ► London from €59

• Option 1, departing Basel SBB at 07:12 or Basel Bad Bf at 07:21 daily arriving London at 16:03:  Leave Basel SBB at 07:12 or Basel Bad Bf at 07:21 by high-speed ICE train to Cologne, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE train to Brussels, change at Brussels onto the 14:56 (14:52 at weekends) Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving 16:03.  Click this special link to www.bahn.de and enter your date of travel to buy tickets from Basel Bad Bf to London on this service from €59.  To buy a connecting ticket from Zurich to Basel Bad Bf, click here.  To buy a connecting ticket from Basel SBB to Basel Bad Bf on the same train, click here.

• Option 2, departing Basel SBB at 11:12 or Basel Bad Bf at 11:22 daily arriving London at 19:57 (21:03 on Saturdays):  Leave Basel SBB at 11:12 or Basel Bad Bf at 11:22 by high-speed ICE train to Cologne, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE train to Brussels, change at Brussels onto Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving 19:57 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays or 21:03 on Saturdays (also on Mon & Tues from 1 November onwards).  Click this special link to www.bahn.de and enter your date of travel to buy tickets from Basel Bad Bf to London on this service from €59.  To buy a connecting ticket from Zurich to Basel Bad Bf, click here.  To buy a connecting ticket from Basel SBB to Basel Bad Bf on the same train, click here.

About these London Spezial fares:  London Spezial fares vary in price from €59 upwards, and booking usually opens 92 days in advance.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on journeys via DB's ICE trains between Brussels and Cologne, as opposed to Thalys trains, and you really need to look 2-3 months ahead to see the cheapest €59 price level.  You simply print out your own ticket.  If you cannot find any cheap tickets this way (or need to travel at short notice in the next few days), split the journey, booking London-Brussels at www.eurostar.com then booking Brussels-Basel Bad Bf at www.bahn.de.  Or look at some of the other option to Switzerland shown on this page.

Onward tickets from Basel Bad Bf to Basel SBB, Zurich, Bern, and so on:  Once you have bought a 'London Spezial' ticket from London to Basel Bad Bf you can use www.bahn.de again to buy an onward ticket on the same train from Basel Bad Bf to Basel SBB (for just over €4) or indeed onwards to Zurich and other destinations in Switzerland.  No need to get off at Basel Bad Bf, if you've bought the onward ticket just stay on until Basel SBB station.

ICE3 2nd class.  ICEs are perhaps the classiest daytime trains in Europe...		ICE3 1st class, with real leather seats.  All ICE seats have power sockets.		An ICE at Brussels, change in Cologne for Switzerland.  More ICE info.

Travel tip 1:  Take the Couloir Sud short cut when changing trains from Eurostar onto an ICE at Brussels.  Diving down the Couloir sud escalator half way along the Eurostar platform makes changing trains much quicker than slowly following the crowds off the front end of the Eurostar platforms and going the long way round to the main concourse.

Travel tip 2, take the scenic Rhine Valley.  These days, the system normally routes you via the modern Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed line.  However, if you don't mind taking an extra hour or two, simply click 'Add another stopover' and enter 'Koblenz' in a 'Via' box.  You'll now be routed via the original, slower Rhine Valley line, snaking along the River Rhine past castles, vineyards and the famous Lorelei Rock.

Travel tip 3:  If you want to stop overnight (or longer, up to 48 hours) in Brussels or Cologne, simply click 'Enter stopovers', type 'Brussels' or 'Cologne' in the 'Via' box and the number of hours stopover you'd like (up to 48:00 maximum) in the 'hh:mm stopover' box, then run the enquiry.  You can then find the cheap London Spezial fares from €59, but with a stopover included.  Bargain!

Travel tip 4:   In the outward direction, the connections in Brussels are a bit tight, although they are officially recognised.  If you DO miss a connection at any stage in the journey because of a late-running train, don't panic, simply get your ticket endorsed by the station staff.  Because you're travelling with a 'through ticket' you're entitled to travel onwards forward on the next available later train at no extra charge.

London & E. Anglia to Switzerland by train & ferry

	London to Holland by Dutch Flyer train & ferry...  A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The new superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  See the Netherlands page for details and see the video...
	Cosy cabins:  The overnight Harwich-Hoek ferry is a floating hotel.  All passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi.  This is a Captain's Class cabin.
	Onwards to Switzerland by ICE high-speed train:  This is a superb 175 mph German ICE train at Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof. 2nd class seats on the ICE.  A bistro car serves meals on proper china.   Stay overnight in Switzerland, then on to Italy by EuroCity train...

If you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, for example if you suffer from claustrophobia or if problems are affecting the Eurostar service, you can travel by train & ferry instead, as shown below.  This route is also handy if you live in East Anglia as you can travel direct to Harwich avoiding London, and it also avoids France, if the French are on strike again!  Indeed, you may simply like the idea of cruising overnight in a luxury en suite cabin on the Stena Line superferry, then travelling on by daytime train to Switzerland next morning - see the video!  If you need to travel at very short notice when cheap Eurostar tickets are unavailable, the rail & sail option may still be affordable.  I don't recommend travelling via Dover & Calais because it's a pain in the neck, even though it may seem like the most direct route  Bus transfers are now required between station & port in both Dover & Calais, and you can no longer buy through tickets from London to Paris this way.  Instead, I recommend using the excellent integrated rail & sail service via Harwich & Hoek van Holland, because trains arrive right at the ferry terminal in both Harwich & Hoek, cheap through tickets are available from London to any Dutch station, and an overnight ferry with comfortable private cabins (all with toilet & shower) gets you to Holland in the morning in time for onward daytime trains to Switzerland.  It's one of the routes shown in dark blue on the route map above.  Here's how to do it:

London, East Anglia & Harwich ► Switzerland

• Day 1:  Travel by train from London to Hoek van Holland by Dutch Flyer train & luxury ferry.  You leave London's Liverpool Street station at 19:32 on a train to Harwich International.  At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto Stena Line's luxurious overnight superferry Stena Hollandica to Hoek van Holland.  All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower, free WiFi & satellite TV.  Deluxe Comfort class or Captains class cabins are also available, with complimentary minibar.  You can get on board the ferry around 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.  The ferry sails at 23:15 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 07:45 Dutch time next morning.  This Dutch Flyer London-Netherlands train & ferry service is a fully-integrated service with special fares from London to Any Dutch Station which cover the train to Harwich, the ferry and onward train to anywhere in the Netherlands, see the Netherlands page for full details.  The same special fare from London is valid from any National Express East Anglia station, for example Norwich, Cambridge, Romford, Ilford, Ipswich.

• Option 1:  Day 2, take onward daytime trains from Hoek van Holland to Switzerland.  At Hoek van Holland, the station is right outside the ferry terminal.  Take the frequent local sprinter train from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam (there's usually one at 08:10 or 08:25 for example), and change onto the next available Dutch domestic InterCity train to Utrecht.  Your 'Dutch Flyer' ticket from London to Any Dutch station covers this section, no reservation is necessary, just hop on any train.  Then take the 11:02 high-speed ICE train from Utrecht to Frankfurt, arriving Frankfurt-am-Main at 14:30.  Change onto the 15:36 high-speed ICE train to Basel SBB (arrive 17:47), Bern (arrive 18:56) or Interlaken (arrive 19:57).  Change in Basel or Bern for destinations all over Switzerland, you can find train times and prices within Switzerland at www.sbb.ch.

• Option 2:  Day 2, spend the day exploring Amsterdam then take the City Night Line sleeper to Switzerland.  At Hoek van Holland, the station is right outside the ferry terminal.  Take the frequent local sprinter train from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam, and change onto the next available InterCity train to Amsterdam, arriving Amsterdam Centraal around 10:14.  Spend the day exploring Amsterdam, left luggage lockers are available.  In the evening, take the City Night Line sleeper train Pegasus overnight from Amsterdam (departing 20:31) to Basel (arriving 06:54 day 3) or Zurich (arriving 08:20 day 3).  The Pegasus has sleepers (1, 2 & 3 berth rooms, either standard with washbasin or deluxe with en suite toilet & shower), couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth) & ordinary seats.  More information about City Night Line trains.  Change in Zurich or Basel for destinations all over Switzerland.

Switzerland  ► Harwich, East Anglia & London

• Option 1:  Take daytime trains from Switzerland to Hoek van Holland.  Leave Interlaken at 08:00, Bern at 09:04 or Basel SBB at 10:12, by high-speed ICE train to Frankfurt-am-Main arriving at 13:08.  Change in Frankfurt onto the 13:29 high-speed ICE train to Utrecht, arriving 16:58.  Now take Dutch domestic trains from Utrecht to Rotterdam and on to Hoek van Holland.  Trains run frequently from Utrecht to Rotterdam & Rotterdam to Hoek, no reservation is necessary, just hop on any train.  This section is covered by your 'Dutch Flyer' Any Dutch Station to London ticket.  At Hoek, the ferry terminal is right next to the station.  In suggesting this service from Switzerland I've allowed plenty of time to connect with the overnight ferry, so you could stop off in Utrecht or Rotterdam for an evening meal.  Just make sure you reach Hoek before 21:00, ferry check-in closes 45 minutes before sailing time.

• Option 2:  Take the sleeper train from Switzerland to Amsterdam, and spend a free day in Amsterdam.  The City Night Line sleeper train Pegasus runs daily, leaving Zurich at 20:42 or Basel at 22:07, arriving at Amsterdam Centraal at 08:56.  The Pegasus has sleepers (1, 2 & 3-berth rooms, either standard with washbasin or deluxe with en suite toilet & shower), couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth) & ordinary seats.  More information about City Night Line trains.  Spend the day in Amsterdam, then take the 18:46 train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and change onto the local sprinter train to Hoek van Holland.  The ferry terminal is right next to the station.

• Travel overnight from Hoek van Holland to London by Dutch Flyer train & luxury ferry.  Check in at the Stena Line desk, then walk onto the luxurious superferry Stena Britannica and sail overnight to Harwich in a snug private cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV and free WiFi.  The ferry sails from Hoek at 22:30 Mondays-Fridays or 21:30 Saturdays & Sundays and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning (day 2), UK time.  Take a train on to London arriving 08:45-08:59 (day 2).  See the Netherlands page for full details about the 'Dutch Flyer' train & ferry service.

How much does it cost?

• London to Amsterdam or Utrecht starts at £45 per person each way, plus the cost of a cabin.  Cabins start at £30 for a single berth cabin or £43 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing.  The fare covers the train from London to Harwich, the ferry, and onward Dutch trains from Hoek van Holland Haven to any station in the Netherlands, see the Netherlands page for full details of fares and cabin types and costs.

• If you prefer option 1, Utrecht to Frankfurt starts at €39 each way, then Frankfurt to Basel also starts at €39.

• If you prefer option 2, Amsterdam to Basel or Zurich by City Night Line sleeper train starts at €59 one-way with a couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €104 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, €144 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, buy a Dutch Flyer train & ferry ticket from London to Utrecht or Amsterdam.  Buy a London to Amsterdam train & ferry ticket as shown here.

• Step 2, book your trains from Utrecht or Amsterdam to Switzerland:  Go to the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  If you want to take the Amsterdam-Switzerland City Night line sleeper, ask the system for Amsterdam to Basel or Zurich departing after 20:00, and look for the overnight train with 0 changes.  But if you want to book daytime trains from Utrecht to Switzerland, resist the temptation to book from Utrecht to a Swiss destination all in one go.  Instead, split the journey into Utrecht-Frankfurt (and back) and Frankfurt-Switzerland (and back) and look for the trains shown above.  This way, the system will offer you German Railways' cheap Netherlands-Germany and Germany-Switzerland fares for each leg, from just 39 euros each way.  These cheap fares won't show up if you ask for a Netherlands to Switzerland journey all in one go.  If you prefer you can book by phone, call DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 at weekends.

How to buy tickets by phone:  Special booking form

• To buy tickets for the Dutch Flyer from London to Hoek van Holland plus onward train tickets to Switzerland or almost anywhere in Europe, fill in the special booking form and email it to European Rail.  They will call you back with a price, usually within 24 hours.  Using the booking form can save a long phone call while they take details and work out trains & prices.  If you'd rather call them, phone 020 7619 1083, but please say you're calling about Dutch Flyer & onward train tickets to Switzerland as shown on 'Seat61'.  Their lines are 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday.  Note that there's a £35 fee for phone or email bookings, but this is for the whole booking, not per person or per ticket.  European Rail are one of the few agencies (if not the only agency) who can sell both the Dutch Flyer and onward European train tickets.

Scotland & North of England to Switzerland

	DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A Commodore deluxe cabin with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  See the video...
	A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess of Norway from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, option 1 is to take a train up to London and travel from London to Switzerland as described above.  This may well be the quickest & easiest option.  Here's some advice on buying connecting train tickets to London.  If you live in Scotland, the Caledonian Sleepers will get you up to London in time for a morning Eurostar & afternoon TGV to Switzerland.

But consider option 2, by-passing London by taking a luxurious overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam run by DFDS Seaways or a similar overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam run by P&O Ferries, spend next day exploring Amsterdam, then take the overnight City Night Line sleeper train to Basel or Zurich, with onward train connections to anywhere in Switzerland?

Scotland & the North ► Amsterdam ► Switzerland

Switzerland ► Amsterdam ► Scotland & the North

• Day 1, take a Swiss train from anywhere in Switzerland to Basel or Zurich (see www.sbb.ch for Swiss train times & fares).

• Day 1, evening:  The City Night Line sleeper train Pegasus runs daily, leaving Zurich at 20:42 or Basel at 22:07, arriving at Amsterdam Centraal at 08:56.  The Pegasus has sleepers (1, 2 & 3-berth rooms, either standard with washbasin or deluxe with en suite toilet & shower), couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth) & ordinary seats.  More information about City Night Line trains.

• Day 2:  Spend the day in Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 2, late afternoon/evening:  Travel overnight by cruise ferry from Holland to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live, arriving next morning (day 4).  Transfer to the station and take a train home.  For full details of train & ferry times and how to buy tickets for each of these routes, see the UK-Netherlands page.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• To check train fares and buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle, see www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk;

• To check ferry fares & book the ferry online, go to www.dfds.co.uk (Newcastle-Amsterdam), www.poferries.com (Hull-Rotterdam).

• To check Amsterdam-Basel/Zurich sleeper fares & book online, go to www.bahn.de (look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes).

Switzerland is one of the few remaining European countries where relatively high point-to-point rail fares and the lack of compulsory reservations & supplements makes railpasses both good value and convenient.  You can buy your passes online from the Switzerland Travel Centre, a subsidiary of Swiss Federal Railways.  The Swiss Travel System people can also make the seat reservations necessary for the few panoramic sightseeing trains that require them, such as the Glacier Express.

The Swiss Transfer ticket:  Your transfer within Switzerland on arrival & departure...

A Swiss Transfer Ticket covers one return journey from your point of entry into Switzerland to anywhere within Switzerland, using Swiss Federal Railways, private railways and even post buses.  Your point of arrival can be an airport, a frontier or the first stop inside Switzerland of any TGV-Lyria from Paris.  For example, if you were heading to St Moritz for a week or two, you could buy a TGV-Lyria ticket from Paris to Basel and back plus a Swiss Transfer Ticket.  The Swiss Transfer ticket would cut in at Basel, allowing you to remain on board the TGV from Paris all the way to Zurich, and it would cover your onward trains to St Moritz.  At the end of your stay, it covers the trains back from St Moritz to Zurich or Basel for your onward TGV-Lyria to Paris.  No reservations are necessary within Switzerland, you just get on any train and show your Swiss Transfer Ticket when asked by the conductor.  Simple! 

Does a Swiss Transfer Ticket make sense?  The Swiss Transfer Ticket usually saves money over buying normal point to pont tickets for longer transfer journeys within Switzerland, but not for shorter ones.  For example, for Lausanne to Montreux or Basel to Interlaken, point to point tickets are cheaper than a Transfer Ticket.  From Basel to Grindelwald, a Transfer Ticket makes sense, just.  From Basel or Zurich to St Moritz, or from Lausanne to Zermatt, yes a Swiss Transfer Ticket saves money over regular tickets.  You can compare the cost of a Transfer Ticket with regular point to point fares using www.sbb.ch.

The Swiss pass:  Unlimited travel during your stay in Switzerland...

A Swiss Pass gives unlimited travel across the Swiss travel system for varying periods.  Swiss rail fares are expensive, so a Swiss pass can save money, you can compare the pass price with point-to-point fares checked at www.sbb.ch.  Map of Swiss routes showing which routes are covered by a Swiss rail pass and which only give a 50% discount for passholders.

Definitely take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide the same excellent level of practical information and historical background. You won't regret buying one!  My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2012/13 edition (Dec 2012 to June 2013) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Find hotels in Switzerland

Personal recommendations...

In Zurich, for something special, look no further than the superb Hotel Schweizerhof, located right next to Zurich station.  One of my favourite hotels, they'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you at the station and carry your bags across the road.

In the St Moritz-Pontresina area, try the Muottas Muragl Berghotel, an amazing place to stay perched on the top of a mountain, with clean simple and (for Switzerland) inexpensive rooms.  It's reached via the Muottas Muragl funicular railway from Punt Muragl station, between Pontresina & St Moritz.

Suggested hotels in Paris near the Gare du Nord or Gare de Lyon... 

Hotels near the Gare du Nord with good reviews:  Libertel Gare du Nord Suede (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star, doubles €135), Mercure Terminus Nord (3-star, doubles €180, directly across the road from the Gare Du Nord);  Art Hotel (3-star, €120 weekdays, €95 Fri/Sat/Sun);  Avalon Hotel (2-star, doubles €110);  Hotel Cambrai (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 1-star, doubles €65).

Hotels near the Gare de Lyon with good reviews:  Hotel Terminus Lyon (right in front of the station, 3-star, doubles €139);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star, doubles €120);   Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star, doubles €139);  Mistral Hotel (800m from Gare de Lyon, 1-star, doubles €68);  Hotel de Reims (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star, doubles €86);

Tripadvisor hotel reviews...

www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to find independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels.  It also has the low-down on all the sights & attractions too.

Budget backpacker hostels...

www.hostelbookers.com:  Switzerland is expensive, so if you're on a tight budget don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Switzerland and most other European countries at rock-bottom prices.

Holidays to Switzerland by train...

	020 3327 0761 (UK) 1-800-408-3280 (USA) 1300 971 526 (Aus) 0800 002 034 (NZ)
	01904 730 727
	01904 527120
	020 7619 1080 Pls quote 'seat61'

If you want a holiday to Switzerland by train not plane, but want someone else to organise all the train tickets & hotels for you, several specialist companies do just that, for a holiday with no airport hassles and no long days in cramped coach seats on motorways.  Railbookers & Erail offer tailor-made individual holidays with departure on any date you like, whereas Treyn Holidays & Great Rail Journeys offer escorted tours with specific departure dates.

Railbookers for tailor-made train holidays & breaks to Switzerland...

Railbookers can tailor-make a flight-free holiday or short break to Switzerland for you, with train travel & hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  For example, they can do a 2-night short break to Geneva or a 4-night trip including the famous Glacier Express and the equally amazing Bernina Express.  See the Railbookers Switzerland page for suggested itineraries & prices.

  UK call 020 3327 0761, www.railbookers.com. 

Call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or www.us.railbookers.com.

Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au. 

  New Zealand call toll-free 0800 002 034 or see website.

Treyn Holidays, www.railholidays.com, 01904 730 727:  Escorted tours...

Treyn Holidays offers several train-based tours to Switzerland, with 3* hotels and travel from London by Eurostar and high-speed TGV.  For example, they offer an 8-day tour combining Mont Blanc with the amazing Glacier Express (see the Glacier Express page).  Check details & prices online at www.railholidays.com, then book online or call 01904 730 727.

Great Rail Journeys, www.greatrail.com, 01904 527120:  Escorted tours...

GRJ offers five-star inclusive tours to Switzerland, with 1st class train travel and 5* hotels.  Their most popular tour combines 1st class overland travel from London to Switzerland by Eurostar & high-speed TGV with a ride on the famous narrow-gauge Glacier Express, which runs right across Switzerland from St Moritz to Zermatt through spectacular scenery.  Tours depart regularly throughout much of the year.  Check the tour details & prices online, then call 01904 527120 to book or use their online booking form.

Erail, www.erail.co.uk, 020 7619 1080  (please quote 'Seat61.com' when you call)...

If you prefer to travel on your own unescorted with departure on any date you like, Erail offers tours to Switzerland by train from the UK such as a 7-day tour from London taking in the Glacier Express.

Send your luggage in advance

Enjoy your journey without heavy luggage... 

Let www.carrymyluggage.com deliver your bags door to door.

If you'd like to enjoy your train journey free of heavy luggage, making it easy to get on and off trains with nothing more than a lightweight daypack or handbag, www.carrymyluggage.com will collect your luggage at your home address a few days before you leave, and will deliver it to addresses all over the EU, so it will be waiting at your hotel when you arrive.  It's not cheap, you can reckon on around £78 per case each way, but this is door to door, covering collection from your home in the UK or other EU country and delivery to an address in another EU country.  I've also arranged a 10% discount if you use the Promo code 'seat61' when booking your bags online.  www.carrymyluggage.com are a reliable company, they also work with companies such as Great Rail Journeys, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, Hull Trains, and South West Trains.

Travel insurance & health card

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.